Ensemble for Intuitive Music Weimar
Encyclopedia
The Ensemble for Intuitive Music Weimar or Ensemble für Intuitive Musik Weimar (EFIM) is a German
music ensemble
, which was founded in 1980 during the period of the German Democratic Republic
, originally performing music officially tabooed by the communist government.
EFIM uses orchestral instruments (trumpet/flügelhorn, violoncello, and piano/organ) and live-electronics. The computer-as-mobile-studio is played as a musical instrument; one which can, through the use of multichannel sound diffusion systems, control the movement of sounds in space.
's method of composition that he called intuitive music
. During the time of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany), the ensemble performed officially tabooed and "useless" areas of musical expression. The group's activities began in an unlawful gallery in Erfurt
, continued in numerous churches, and even in the Palace of the Republic in Berlin
. Beginning in 1987 a series of synesthetic projects based on Bauhaus
traditions were realized. Prior to the political change in 1989 EFIM had given several hundred concerts; since then the ensemble has performed in more than twenty-five countries in America, Europe and Asia.
In 2005 the collaboration with Stockhausen resulted in studio recordings of six intuitive compositions from his cycle Für kommende Zeiten under his direction for his CD label.
Since the early 1990s EFIM has worked on projects in collaboration with artists of other disciplines. One of the ensemble's most ambitious creations was "Flame Sound Meiningen" (1996) for 16 hot-air balloon burners, dancers, choir, ensemble, and tape by Hans Tutschku. This performance, which featured various configurations of 18-feet-high flames, took place in the English Garden of the city of Meiningen
.
Also in 1996, EFIM collaborated with the choreographer Joachim Schloemer for the festival Kunstfest Weimar. "Imaginary Areas" was created for 4 dancers, ensemble and multi-dimensional sound projection, controlled by touch-sensitive dance floor sensors. In 1998 the ensemble worked with DJ Juryman (London) in the project "Disco as Art Space." In 1999, when Weimar was proclaimed a European Culture City, the EFIM traveled with the project "The Church as Sound Sculpture" (concerts and sound installations by Hans Tutschku) to Paris, Basel and Plovdiv. In collaboration with Christine Kono (Japan/USA), Dimitri Kraniotis (Greece/France), and David Kern (USA/Germany), the ensemble's 2003 project "Sacred Dances" was the centerpiece of the Culture Arena Jena in the Friedens Church.
The group has also taken part in Expo 2000
in Hanover
, in the festivals in Porto
(2001), Warsaw
(2002), Rome
(2003), Vienna
(2004), Boston
and New York
(2006).
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
music ensemble
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
, which was founded in 1980 during the period of the German Democratic Republic
German Democratic Republic
The German Democratic Republic , informally called East Germany by West Germany and other countries, was a socialist state established in 1949 in the Soviet zone of occupied Germany, including East Berlin of the Allied-occupied capital city...
, originally performing music officially tabooed by the communist government.
EFIM uses orchestral instruments (trumpet/flügelhorn, violoncello, and piano/organ) and live-electronics. The computer-as-mobile-studio is played as a musical instrument; one which can, through the use of multichannel sound diffusion systems, control the movement of sounds in space.
Origins
The formative inspiration for the ensemble was composer Karlheinz StockhausenKarlheinz Stockhausen
Karlheinz Stockhausen was a German composer, widely acknowledged by critics as one of the most important but also controversial composers of the 20th and early 21st centuries. Another critic calls him "one of the great visionaries of 20th-century music"...
's method of composition that he called intuitive music
Intuitive music
Intuitive music is a form of musical improvisation based on instant creation in which fixed principles or rules may or may not have been given. It is a type of process music where instead of a traditional music score, verbal or graphic instructions and ideas are provided to the performers...
. During the time of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany), the ensemble performed officially tabooed and "useless" areas of musical expression. The group's activities began in an unlawful gallery in Erfurt
Erfurt
Erfurt is the capital city of Thuringia and the main city nearest to the geographical centre of Germany, located 100 km SW of Leipzig, 150 km N of Nuremberg and 180 km SE of Hannover. Erfurt Airport can be reached by plane via Munich. It lies in the southern part of the Thuringian...
, continued in numerous churches, and even in the Palace of the Republic in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. Beginning in 1987 a series of synesthetic projects based on Bauhaus
Bauhaus
', commonly known simply as Bauhaus, was a school in Germany that combined crafts and the fine arts, and was famous for the approach to design that it publicized and taught. It operated from 1919 to 1933. At that time the German term stood for "School of Building".The Bauhaus school was founded by...
traditions were realized. Prior to the political change in 1989 EFIM had given several hundred concerts; since then the ensemble has performed in more than twenty-five countries in America, Europe and Asia.
Post-communist performances
In 1990, after the border opening, the ensemble gave its first concert in the presence of Stockhausen. He wrote afterwards in a letter:In 2005 the collaboration with Stockhausen resulted in studio recordings of six intuitive compositions from his cycle Für kommende Zeiten under his direction for his CD label.
Since the early 1990s EFIM has worked on projects in collaboration with artists of other disciplines. One of the ensemble's most ambitious creations was "Flame Sound Meiningen" (1996) for 16 hot-air balloon burners, dancers, choir, ensemble, and tape by Hans Tutschku. This performance, which featured various configurations of 18-feet-high flames, took place in the English Garden of the city of Meiningen
Meiningen
Meiningen is a town in Germany - located in the southern part of the state of Thuringia and is the district seat of Schmalkalden-Meiningen. It is situated on the river Werra....
.
Also in 1996, EFIM collaborated with the choreographer Joachim Schloemer for the festival Kunstfest Weimar. "Imaginary Areas" was created for 4 dancers, ensemble and multi-dimensional sound projection, controlled by touch-sensitive dance floor sensors. In 1998 the ensemble worked with DJ Juryman (London) in the project "Disco as Art Space." In 1999, when Weimar was proclaimed a European Culture City, the EFIM traveled with the project "The Church as Sound Sculpture" (concerts and sound installations by Hans Tutschku) to Paris, Basel and Plovdiv. In collaboration with Christine Kono (Japan/USA), Dimitri Kraniotis (Greece/France), and David Kern (USA/Germany), the ensemble's 2003 project "Sacred Dances" was the centerpiece of the Culture Arena Jena in the Friedens Church.
The group has also taken part in Expo 2000
Expo 2000
Expo 2000 was a World's Fair held in Hanover, Germany from Thursday, June 1 to Tuesday, October 31, 2000. It was located on the Hanover fairground , which is famous for hosting CeBIT...
in Hanover
Hanover
Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
, in the festivals in Porto
Porto
Porto , also known as Oporto in English, is the second largest city in Portugal and one of the major urban areas in the Iberian Peninsula. Its administrative limits include a population of 237,559 inhabitants distributed within 15 civil parishes...
(2001), Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
(2002), Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
(2003), Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
(2004), Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
and New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
(2006).
Ensemble members
- Daniel Hoffmann - trumpet / Flügelhorn
- Matthias von Hintzenstern - violoncello / overtone singing
- Hans TutschkuHans TutschkuHans Tutschku is a German composer.He has been a member of the Ensemble for Intuitive Music Weimar since 1982. He studied composition of electronic music at the Hochschule für Musik "Carl Maria von Weber", Dresden and since 1989 has participated in several concert cycles of Karlheinz Stockhausen...
- live-Electronics - Michael von Hintzenstern - piano / organ / harmonium